In a wide variety of photographic operations, a need arises to utilize extended magnifications and image objects which are extremely close to the front portion of the camera lens. One of the most common areas of photography in which this need arises is that used in the medical arts for providing high magnification photos of tissue structure and dental appliances as well as tooth and jaw structure. Because such photography requires a substantial amount of light and because it is often desirable to utilize flash or strobe photography due to the discomfort caused to the patient by continuous lighting apparatus, the majority of such photography is carried forward using the newly developed short duration electronic strobe units.
The use of strobe units in extreme close up high magnification photography presents some difficulties, however, which are not encountered in normal strobe photography. One of the difficulties that arises is the problems in properly orienting the strobe unit with respect to the to-be-photographed object. Another problem arises in that the highly directed light energy from an electronic strobe unit produces substantial shadowing of the to-be-imaged object.
These problems have been addressed by practitioners in the art through the development of a number of different strobe units and support systems or combinations of strobes specifically adapted to high magnification close in photography.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,134 issued to Kogure et al. sets forth a DEVICE FOR MOUNTING ELECTRONIC FLASH ON CAMERA. U.S. Pat. Des. No. 250,766 issued to Ozawa sets forth a STROBOFLASH. These patents are exemplary of conventional strobe units and their mounting and attachment to cameras.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,183 issued to Ostlund et al. sets forth a DEVICE IN CONNECTION WITH CAMERAS in which a support bracket suitable for attachment to the end portion of a camera lens includes a pair of pivotally mounted outwardly extending strobe support units. A pair of strobe units are operatively supported upon the pivotal members by a second pivotal attachment. The pivotal axes supporting each of the strobe units permit the movement and direction of the strobe independently.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,603 issued to Dine et al. sets forth a PORTABLE PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHT UNIT in which a ring type flash unit is adapted to be received upon and encircle the end portion of a camera lens. A connecting plug and cable are coupled to the ring flash to permit the strobe to be coupled to a conventional flash bulb socket. The flash unit then fires the ring strobe to provide an encircling light source about the end of the camera lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,470 issued to Naito et al. sets forth a LENS BARREL SUITABLE FOR FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY in which a light intercepting member is integrally provided within the lens for intercepting a portion of the light emitted from the strobe device for use by the camera system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,907 issued to Holt, Jr. sets forth a FLASH ATTACHMENT WITH EXTENDABLE HEAD in which a flash unit for a hand held camera includes a flash head pivotally mounted upon an extendable member supported by the main flash unit. A plurality of modular auxiliary units are also provided to produce a plurality of flash heads.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,253 issued to Kuhns et al. sets forth a MULTIPLE IMAGE FLASH CAMERA in which an extended ring flash unit is sized and adapted to encircle the plural lens elements of a multiple image flash camera.
A strobe unit manufactured and sold by Lester A. Dine, Inc. having a model number DINE105MM Macro provides a combination of a ring flash and an associated point source flash together with an automatic exposure control.
While the foregoing units provide substantial improvement in the performance of strobe units in high magnification photography, there remains a continuing need for further improved strobe units.